THE health and wellbeing of older Australians could benefit from more advice and checks, according to Adelaide researchers.
A team of 120 health and social science students at Flinders University screened people aged 40-75 for health and wellness as part of a 19-week community research projected called Inspiring Health.
More than 570 participants were assessed at 14 venues to produce results that will be used to determine future student placements in community venues.
Hearing loss and pelvic floor problems topped the list of issues among participants, as well as high blood pressure. The project covered council areas including Holdfast Bay, Marion and Salisbury.
Project leader Sue Gordon, chair of restorative care in ageing, said most ageing research had focused on morbidity or frailty but “there is little research on how to effectively intervene to enable healthy ageing”.
“One of the keys to better health for Australians is to offer healthy ageing assessments and interventions which will improve quality of life, increase capacity for participation of ageing Australians, decrease hospital presentations and support advancement towards personalised healthcare,” Professor Gordon said.
She said the results of the study indicate high levels of risk for metabolic conditions and cardiovascular diseases.
“Community education about levels of exercise required for optimal effects, and simply walking at a faster speed, would be strategies to address this,” Professor Gordon said.
The project was initiated in response to a World Health Organisation call for partners to participate in research and innovation to foster healthy ageing, including developing tools to assess and support clinical, community and population-based efforts to improve people’s ability to age healthily.